ALBUQUERQUE, NM — October 18, 2007 — Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world’s first very light jet (VLJ), today announced that it has set a National Aeronautic Association (NAA) performance record that distinguishes the Eclipse 500 as the industry’s fastest jet aircraft weighing 10,000 pounds or less. This milestone was achieved in early October when the Eclipse 500 set a new U.S. national speed record in the NAA record category of Class C, Aeroplanes, Very Light Jets.

The Eclipse 500 beat the existing NAA record on October 7, 2007 on a flight from New York (Westchester) to Atlanta (Peachtree-Dekalb), with a new record time of one hour, 55 minutes, and eight seconds (1:55:08), averaging 393.32 miles per hour (341.79 knots). The previous record holder, a Cessna Citation Mustang set the record on September 22, 2007, flying the same route in two hours, 23 minutes, and 44 seconds (2:23:44), averaging 318.87 miles per hour (277.09 knots). The NAA requires the record to be broken by at least one percent to qualify. The Eclipse 500, flown by Don Taylor, Senior Fellow at Eclipse Aviation, exceeded the previous record time by 20 percent, while using approximately 25 percent less fuel. Using actual aircraft data as well as data obtained from the Citation Mustang’s flight planning guide, the Mustang used 1,330 lb (198.5 gal) cruising at FL400 while the Eclipse 500 used 987 lb (147 gal) cruising at FL320.

About Eclipse

Eclipse Aviation is the world's leading very light jet (VLJ) manufacturer, producing innovative, affordable jets that are revolutionizing air transportation. The company created the VLJ category with the design, certification and delivery of the Eclipse 500 - the industry's first VLJ. Eclipse applies advanced technologies, manufacturing processes and business practices to create high-performance aircraft that cost a fraction of other jets, and provide the lowest cost of jet ownership ever achieved. By changing the value proposition for private jet travel, Eclipse is allowing more pilots to enter the world of jet-powered aviation and enabling a new generation of entrepreneurs to help business travelers move between cities on a quick, affordable and convenient basis. Contact Eclipse at http://www.eclipseaviation.com

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